Politically, the
opposition is the enemy. Being forced to work with the opposition is
not undemocratic but it shows up the weakness of the Government.

A
weak government is not good for multi-racial Malaysia. It leads to
unwarranted challenges against its authority. Governments cannot please
everybody. If a Government cannot be firm and is forced to flip-flop
there will be a lack of confidence which does not augur well for the
smooth implementation of policies or project. Some people might already
have noticed this.

A Government with little need for opposition
support would be better able to disregard the sniping that all
Governments must face. It should however take note of opposition views
and respond where necessary.

In today’s context, the Federal
Government is unable to initiate necessary changes to the constitution
and would be held to ransom every time.

One of the most
important things about a two-thirds majority is that there would be
hardly any threat of defection. Today we hear of this threat everyday.
The leadership of the Barisan Nasional is like a cat on hot bricks. And
cats on hot bricks cannot achieve anything.

Previous Federal
Governments had never failed to obtain the two-thirds majority. As a
measure of strength, a two-thirds majority allows a Government to do
everything on its own and be totally independent.

But perhaps the proposed request for opposition support is made with sincerity in the spirit of democracy.

The
question is why now? Why not when the Government had 90 percent
majority after the General Election of 2004? Changes to the way judges
are picked could have been done after the 2004 resounding victory.

I
have always been of the opinion that this country must have a strong
and independent Federal Government which can then serve the country and
people without fear or favour.

But I have been on record in
advocating a strong opposition. This is to ensure the Government does
not stray from the right path, or abuse its authority.

The
combination of a strong (two-thirds majority) Government and an
Opposition with the capacity and willingness to check abuses by the
Government would serve Malaysia well.

As to the Government’s
latest proposal to set up a judicial commission, is it because it now
thinks it is a good thing or is it a desperate attempt to win back the
support it has lost?

As for my criticisms of the leaders of the
present Government, I believe I have every right to do so. Retiring
from the Government simply means giving up authority and power. It does
not mean I must abdicate my role as a citizen. I have every right to be
concerned over the flip-flopping mismanagement of this country and that
of the party I helped to revive in 1987. The party does not belong to
Dato Seri Abdullah alone. Nor is it meant to support him as leader even
when he mishandled the elections and the country. The party does not
belong to me either. It belongs to all its members. Presently the
members are not permitted to be critical. They can merely say yes to
what Dato Seri Abdullah says or does.

Since the opposition is
also supporting Dato Seri Abdullah, if I do not criticise, then no one
will. And without criticisms the Government and Dato Seri Abdullah can
really go wrong.

(Reminder: I welcome criticisms and critical
comments and I will publish them. However, I will not publish comments
containing profanities and demeaning references to certain names.
Anonymous postings will also not be published.)